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Up to this point, farmers in Kien Giang province have basically harvested the winter-spring rice crop with the joy of a good harvest, good prices, contributing to solving difficulties in the COVID-19 epidemic.



Farmers harvest 2019-2020 Winter-Spring rice in Phu My commune, Giang Thanh district. (Photo: Le Huy Hai/VNA)

In the Winter-Spring crop of 2019-2020, Kien Giang province planted 289,873ha of rice, exceeding 837ha compared to the plan. Up to now, farmers in the province have basically harvested this rice crop with the joy of a good harvest, good prices, contributing to solving difficulties in the COVID-19 epidemic.

Producing under the condition surrounded by drought and saltwater intrusion

Before the crop, the 2019-2020 winter-spring rice production in Kien Giang is forecasted to face many difficulties due to Mekong Delta almost had no flood.

The rain season ended early, there was a serious shortage of fresh water, a scenario of saltwater intrusion, severe drought in the 2015-2016 dry season is likely to recur, causing disadvantages for production.

Farmer Nguyen Minh Tu, of Tan Hoa A Cooperative, Tan Hiep B Commune, Tan Hiep District, shared that the flood season did not come, the water did not flow to the field, the field was lack of alluvium, the toxins and pathogens were not washed away, adversely affecting the growth and development of rice. In addition, the risk of pests and diseases causing damage to rice is very high, it’s costly to produce more.

To proactively prevent drought and saltwater intrusion, ensure water resources for agricultural production in the 2019-2020dry season, Mr. Nguyen Van Tam, Director of Kien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: “I identified areas that are likely to be affected by drought, salinity intrusion, lack of production water such as coastal areas of Rach Gia-Ha Tien, along Cai Lon-Cai Be rivers, districts of U Minh Thuong area, proactively implement irrigation solutions to prevent drought, saltwater intrusion, regulate water sources for Winter-Spring crop production in 2019-2020, aquaculture and shrimp-rice production."

The provincial functional agencies coordinate with localities to review areas that are at risk of water shortage, saltwater intrusion and dredge canals to increase the freshwater storage capacity.

Kien Giang Department of Water Resources effectively operates the sewer system on two sea dykes of Hon Dat-Kien Luong and An Bien-An Minh, Giang Thanh district, Rach Gia city and along Cai Be river in Chau Thanh district, O Mon-Xa No embankment route in Giong Rieng and Go Quao districts to prevent salinity and keep fresh water source for the 2019-2020 Winter-Spring crop.

On the other hand, localities in areas affected by salinity have built 193 seasonal dams to prevent saltwater intrusion in districts of An Minh, An Bien, Giang Thanh, Kien Luong, Go Quao, Giong Rieng and Chau Thanh to protect the rice of 2019-2020 winter-spring crop and continue to prevent salinity for 2020Summer-Autumn crop.

In addition to building the Hoa Dien dam (Kien Luong district) with Larsen piles on Rach Gia-Ha Tien canal in early August 2019, the province built 3 more Larsen piles on Kinh Nhanh (Rach Gia city); Ong Hien canal, Vinh Hoa Hiep commune (Chau Thanh district); Chung Bau canal in Minh Hoa commune (Chau Thanh district) and Long Thanh (Giong Rieng district) to prevent saltwater intrusion, keep fresh water in Long Xuyen Quadrangle and a part of the west of Hau river.

Along with that, Kien Giang announced drought, saltwater intrusion situation on a large scale in the province at level 1 risk of natural disasters due to drought and saltwater intrusion, increased propaganda to the people about drought, saltwater intrusion and called on the entire population to save water, proactively respond to the motto "4 in place."

Mr. Nguyen Van Tam, Director of Kien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development told about the announcement of drought and saltwater intrusion, the province prepared options to support people when needed.

Functional departments closely monitor the situation of saltwater intrusion, deploy urgent measures to ensure water sources for production and daily life; formulate a plan to prevent and combat drought, water shortage, and saltwater intrusionintrusion with unfavorable scenarios about possible water sources to promptly deploy appropriate solutions to ensure sufficient water for daily life and production, effectively respond to drought and saltwater intrusion, minimize production losses.

 [Saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta will be at a high level in April]

The two Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development of Kien Giang and An Giang coordinate to unify the schedule for the implementation of alternating water supply in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle in the two provinces to ensure water resources for irrigation and protection of production.

Thanks to proactive implementation of irrigation solutions in the "dry storm," the surrounding drought and saltwater intrusion that Kien Giang province successfully produced the 2019-2020Winter-Spring rice crop, with an average yield of more than 7.2 tons/ha, the harvested yield is over 2 million tons, the area affected by drought and saltwater intrusion is about 4,220 ha, of which more than 1,550ha has losses of less than 30%, over 1,800 ha with 30-70% of losses and the remaining has 70- 100% of losses, concentrated in 3 districts of U Minh Thuong, Hon Dat and Kien Luong.

Developing seasonal crop schedule for 3 production areas

From the production forecast that the 2019-2020Winter-Spring crop will face many difficulties, in addition to actively implement irrigation solutions to respond to drought and saltwater intrusion, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Kien Giang develops a seasonal crop schedule in three production areas of Long Xuyen Quadrangle, West of Hau River and U Minh Thuong, recommends that farmers follow sowing schedule in order to limit harmful epidemics, saltwater intrusion and lack of fresh water..

Mr. Huynh Van Nha, Director of Nam Hai Cooperative, Giong Rieng district said that following the seasonal crop schedule of the agricultural sector, the members of the cooperative concentrated on seeding in the second half of December of 2019. As a result, this winter-spring crop, the cooperative's rice productivity reaches 8-9 tons/ha, a remarkable profit compared to every year thanks to the relatively high price of rice.

High quality (fresh) rice 5,600-6,000VND/kg and dry rice 6,300-6,800VND/kg, some Japanese and Dai Thom 8 rice varieties cost 6,800-7,500VND/kg, the members of the cooperative members are very excited."

Mr. Do Minh Nhut, Deputy Director of Kien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that the Department instructed functional agencies to coordinate with the localities in managing and sowing seeds in accordance with seasonal crop schedules, guide farmers in the process of preparing the soil, washing saltwater intrusion land in coastal areas, preparing rice seeds, agricultural materials, advise people to cultivate high quality seeds, cooperate with production enterprises under the model of large fields, joint ventures, product consumption, etc.


Traders purchase, transport 2019-2020 Winter-Spring rice in Hon Dat district. (Photo: Le Huy Hai/Vietnam News

According to the Kien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, most of the farmers in the province choose high quality rice varieties, which meet the export standards for sowing such as fragrant rice varieties, including: Jasmine85, Dai Thom 8, OM4900, ST24, etc.; group of long seeds, high yield, good pest resistance like OM5451, GKG1, OM2517, OM6976 ...; group of Japonica round seed and glutinous rice includes: DS1, IR4625 ... The total production area of ​​these 3 rice varieties accounts for more than 85% of the Winter-Spring crop area of ​​the province.

The province built 34 large fields linking rice production with product underwriting with enterprises of more than 19,000 ha.

Along with that, most farmers adhere to the seasonal crop schedule, concentrated sowing to avoid psyllids and prevent water shortages and saltwater intrusion.

Feeling excited about before the abundant crop, farmer Le Van Ket, Long Thanh commune, Giong Rieng district said that at the beginning of the crop, the agriculture industry predicted that production would face many difficulties and disadvantages due to the complicated drought, we need to proactively respond to produce safely and effectively.

Farmers produce according to the recommendations of the agriculture sector, sow on schedule, select high-quality rice seeds for cultivation, apply the 3-decrease-3-increase, 1 do-5-decrease farming process into the field, and build dam to prevent salinity and keep fresh water.

In this Winter-Spring crop, his family produced 3 ha, harvested nearly 30 tons of rice, and traders bought at the field from 5,800 to 6,000 VND / kg, except the production cost was better than previous crops.

Mr. Do Minh Nhut shared that the 2019-2020Winter-Spring crop, farmers produced with a good harvest and sold at a high price compared to every year, and people were very excited, contributing to solving the difficulties of Covid-19 epidemic.

The praiseworthy signal of Kien Giang agriculture industry is that although the situation of climate change is becoming more and more complicated, unpredictable, and the weather is not favorable, farmers have initially learned how to respond to become proactive in effective production.

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